Fantasy Stakes winner out of Oaks

Mamma Kimbo, a Grade 2 winner at Oaklawn Park in her second career start, will pass on the May 4 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, it was announced Thursday.

The Fantasy Stakes winner instead will point to the May 18 Black- Eyed Susan at Pimlico Race Course, said owner John Fort, who will enter Grade 3 winner Sacristy in Oaks 138. Wayne Catalano trains Sacristy, a Grade 3 winner in January at Gulfstream Park, and Mike Smith, Mamma Kimbo’s jockey at Oaklawn, picks up the Oaks mount on the Pulpit filly.

Fort said Mamma Kimbo is “doing fine” after a 1 1/ 4- length victory April 11 at Oaklawn and working five furlongs in 1: 01 4- 5 Tuesday at Churchill Downs.

“But we just had the feeling that she ran pretty hard in Arkansas,” said Fort, whose Peachtree Stables also races 2011 Oaks and last- out Apple Blossom Handicap winner Plum Pretty. “When you start running horses three weeks apart, it catches up to them. She also doesn’t have a huge foundation; she only has two races.

“You always want to go where you think you have your best shot and I think [ the Black- Eyed Susan] will be our best shot,” he said.

Mamma Kimbo, who like Plum Pretty is trained by Bob Baffert, gained her maiden victory by 5 1/ 4 lengths Feb. 18 at Santa Anita Park in California. With $ 213,600 from two starts, the Discreet Cat filly has recouped the $ 120,000 Fort paid for her at the September 2010 Keeneland yearling sale.

Baffert still has Grade 1 winner Eden’s Moon and Fantasy third- place finisher Jemima’s Pearl under consideration for the Oaks, which he won for the second time last year in a Hall of Fame career. The likely Oaks field includes Oaklawn stakes winners On Fire Baby and Amie’s Dini, both victorious during Churchill Downs’ fall meeting last year.